Crystal Healing: Helping Ourselves

Hey everyone! Another question has come up that I thought I would address as a blog post. Curt asks:

“I find my crystal work is more effective in assisting others than it is when I assist myself. What do you advise?”

That’s a really great question, and one I have often asked myself over the years. Why is it that most healing modalities seem more effective when we apply them to others than when we work on ourselves?

When we work on ourselves, many different factors come into play: 1) our (sometimes desperate) desire for healing, 2) doubts about our ability coupled with the ingrained thought that others know better and can do more for us than we can do for ourselves (the pattern of chronically handing away our power), 3) being split between being the healer and the recipient 4) expecting results with only one healing session, and 5) forgetting to implement an ongoing healing practice.

These are but a few reasons working on ourselves may seem to be less effective than working on others. Let’s look at these reasons in more detail.

Golden Healer with Window

OUR (SOMETIMES DESPERATE) DESIRE FOR HEALING

For me, the level of my desire for healing, (coupled with the severity of the ailment from which I am needing relief), directly coincides with the amount of healing I feel I can usually achieve on my own. For example: oftentimes my back begins to hurt when I sit for long periods at the computer when I am posting crystals for adoption. When I become mindful of the fact that my back is aching, I may ask one of the crystals I am currently preparing for the website to assist me in easing the pain. Nine times out of ten, I will find that my back pain eases up right away if I put my attention there and remember to ask the crystals’ assistance.

In contrast, if I am sick with bronchitis or pneumonia, I find that I am not able to affect a noticeable difference in my level of healing as quickly as I would like. I may be able to ease my comfort level, and shorten the length of the illness in comparison to previous bouts, but I’m not able to snap my fingers and have it disappear immediately (as I would like). When my cancer was present and I was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, I could work with the crystals on alleviating small symptoms such as nausea or anxiety, but I really didn’t have faith in my ability to heal myself of cancer.

Self Healed Soulmate crystal

DOUBTS ABOUT OUR ABILITY

That leads me to the next point: faith in our ability. Normally when I am working with the crystals on another’s behalf, I am not coming from the mindset that I am healing them. I see myself completely as a conduit for something much greater than myself to work through me. In other words I remove myself from the equation. In this way, I don’t have to have faith in my ability, because it is not my ability. I know that I am working for the person’s greatest and highest good and I have called in guides and masters and helpers. I am simply the hose (channel) which the water (the healing principle) flows through to the plant (recipient) in need of nourishment or healing. I am not the water, nor do I expect myself to be. Which leads me to the next point:

Old soul crystal

BEING SPLIT BETWEEN BEING BOTH HEALER AND RECIPIENT

When we work with the crystals on another’s behalf (rather than on ourselves), 100% of our attention and energy is focused on the healing process of that other person. They are 100% in receiving mode, and we are 100% in giving mode. We are able to open to the channel of healing completely and without reservations. Our focus is outwardly directed and we work with the crystals as extensions of our energy stream.

When you direct that healing towards yourself, it is more difficult to differentiate between the hose (channel), the water (healing), and the plant (recipient). How can a person be both the hose (channel) and the plant (recipient)? For me, when working on myself, I feel like I am responsible for directing, causing and receiving the healing (being hose, plant and even water). Therefore I see myself as a failure (both as healer and healee) if I don’t see an immediate and complete response. The implication is that I have done something “wrong” as the patient or don’t have healing capabilities in the first place if I don’t see 100% relief in the first (and usually only) session. In the past, this mindset prevented me from even making the attempt in the first place, which admittedly was a very defeatist attitude. It is my desire that if you share this attitude that reading this post will help you change your outlook and bring you a renewed sense of confidence in your crystal healing abilities.

I don’t expect myself to “heal” another person of an ailment. I don’t go into it full of ego, waving my crystals and promising remission or complete and immediate relief. I am open and receptive to that happening, of course! But that part of the process is beyond my control as conduit to the healing flow. I am assisting the recipient’s own healing process. In contrast, when I work on myself, I find that secretly I expect such ego-driven results. This doesn’t take into consideration the “bigger picture” reasons we have illnesses (another blog post coming up on this topic). As much as possible, in your healing sessions, afford yourself the same compassion in the healing process that you allow for others. In other words, don’t be so hard on yourself either as the healer or as the recipient. Remember that in this situation, you are both the hose and the plant and because of this expect some differences in the process.

Perhaps in playing the two roles, you can set up your healing sessions with this in mind:

1. First be the “healer”

Become clear on the desired outcome and make the steps small. (For example, if it is the flu, work to alleviate the nausea. Next session work to alleviate the aches and fatigue, and so on.)

Place your crystals around the space in which you would place the “client”, and maybe reserve one to place on your body. (For examples of what to do, see these two posts, Crystal Grid for Lung Issues, My Most Recent Personal Grid. These are both examples of small scale grids. To set up a healing grid, simply apply the principles on a large scale, with your body as the central point.) I will write a post on crystal healing specifics soon!

2. Once you prepare the room and healing space as the healer, then take off that hat and
become the beneficiary of the healing.

Plan to engage in more than one session with yourself and don’t expect an outside source to “cure” you. Like I said earlier, there are certainly “spontaneous” remissions and “miraculous” healing, but truth be told, there has been some internal healing work in progress there. Some of it happens more quickly than others. In the meantime, work on discovering the message or the lesson which has brought you this illness. I know my tendency is to resist the discomfort, rage at the disease, curse my body, harden against the symptoms or try to pretend they don’t exist. This doesn’t make the symptoms or illness go away, it tends to make them more persistent.

Rainbow crystal

FORGETTING TO IMPLEMENT AN ONGOING HEALING PRACTICE

One final note in helping self-healing sessions with crystal to work more effectively is to remember to do it ! Much the same way that antibiotics aren’t going to help a bit if you don’t take them, neither will healing with crystals work if you don’t remember to ask them. I know people who keep adopting crystals because they are touted to help heal a certain ailment, but they never put into practice the healing portion of the healing equation, which is actual engagement with the crystal. They buy another and another and another. Continuing to fill more and more prescriptions will not help unless you take the first antibiotic and give it a chance to work.

In summary:

Be mindful when symptoms occur and remember there are helpers ready and able to assist you. You must ask and then work together. Healing is a co-creative process.

Make your goal for the healing sessions clear and in small manageable steps.

If your symptoms are persistent, don’t expect to get full relief from just one sitting. It will most probably require repeated sessions.

Set up your healing sessions as if you are two separate people (the healer and the recipient) and engage fully in each aspect of the process, separately.

Try not to resist the symptoms or blame your body. Greet each with loving-kindness.

Do your best to understand and resolve the underlying message which has brought you these symptoms or illness.

Engage fully with the crystals you have at hand before seeking a different remedy in the form of yet another crystal.

The final and most important step in helping ourselves with crystal healing: DON’T FORGET TO DO IT!

About Genn

Genn John has been acting as the legs for the Crystal People as the Keeper at Arkansas Crystal Works, an internet-based source for crystals and crystal knowledge, since 1995. Having accepted the honor to be their voice as well, she is the author of Understanding The Crystal People: A Handbook for Lightworkers; a crystal reference book for people who desire to fully understand their connection to the crystal kingdom and who wish to enhance their working knowledge of these majestic beings. Genn has also published a 4 part series of coloring books which are a useful tool for anyone with an interest in learning the anatomical structures of quartz crystals. It features precise, extraordinary hand-drawn designs crafted especially for easy coloring and interactive study. Find the store and more at www.arkansascrystalworks.com, or her blog at www.crystalgenn.com. To connect: email - genn@arkansascrystalworks.com, facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ArkansasCrystalWorks, Instagram - gennjohn or Twitter @GennJohn.

3 Responses to Crystal Healing: Helping Ourselves

Ha! Had to chuckle about the “surface features” thing. I’ve seen “odd” triangular shapes, sort of like a triangle that is cut off at the top with another triangle sitting to one side or the other at the top (do you “get” the picture?) for several years now and have dismissed them as “interesting, but not record keepers”. But, this weekend I picked up a new crystal that has one of those skewed squares on it and it felt to me as if I was looking at a “new” form of record keeper, so I thought I’d ask. And I recall seeing similar shapes on other crystals (of mine) I’ve been gazing into lately (like the last few months). What I call a record keeper is typically standing above the surface of the crystal, you can see it but sometimes you cannot feel it, so I think of them as being “3D”. And they don’t always photograph very well. 🙂
Personally, I am feeling a new knowingness but that is what I call it; I don’t have enough knowledge to define it as holographic. 🙂 And my intuition is cranking 24/7 and not even calling attention to itself, which is totally cool now that I think about it.
As I say, what a great time to be alive! Thank you for your work!
Love and peace.

Hi Genn, Thank you for this post! Truly is timely! I have some observation(s) to offer, as well. First off, know that 100% of the time, emotions (your sub-conscious mind) are going to trump whatever else you are doing. Have you been nurturing your inner child? Have you befriended your sub-conscious mind? If your answer to either question is “no”, this may be that opportunity for you. I think is all part and parcel of the “How can I love myself even more?” that I’ve been working on and talking about for several years now (how time flies!). I find myself revisiting the subject and reminding my students that asking the question is our job; answering the question is the job of the Universe — if we find ourselves asking the question and also trying to answer the question, that is crazy-making.
Personally, I find my crystals are literally breaking out in rainbows and sometimes record keepers! What a great time to be alive!
And here’s a question for you: have you seen record keepers displaying in different configurations? I’m so used to seeing them as triangles of differing types, here lately I’ve been seeing what look like parallelograms or perhaps squares just slightly skewed out of square – have you seen this? If so, what is your “take” on it? Love and peace!

argh!! I replied and the computer ate my response. maybe I was too wordy. !! 🙂 This time I will condense 😛

Thank you for your wonderful additions and insights. I always enjoy your observations! Thanks for sharing them with us. I have been sharing your “How can I love myself even more?” with friends. It is wonderful. (time IS zipping by at break-neck speed, isn’t it!?)
as for the Record Keepers, yes. In addition to the various triangular shapes I have been seeing geometric shapes sometimes 3D looking… (but still flat like Record Keepers… more holographic) I have simply been calling them “surface features” but that doesn’t really fit. However I find I am having difficulty putting words to my thoughts lately… kind of feels like standing on shifting sands! Perhaps these different features have been present all along but we haven’t been able to “see” them until we gained this different viewpoint due to the energies changing and vibrations increasing. I had a lot more written but can’t make myself chase the words down again! apologies! I hope you can catch the words that escaped on the wind! ((hugs)) ps in relation to that… I have found that I think and process much more telepathically now than I used to (which already was a lot) and find that translating those picture/word/vibrations into words is not only difficult in the extreme but also exhausting. It’s like trying to verbally describe a picture story in a foreign language then writing it down in words in yet another language. ack!! any input there? 😉